People who still use cash to pay for significant amounts

Using cash is a good way of staying on a budget. You only take out how much money you've budgeted to spend. When you run out, you know to stop spending.

I'm not going to fault people for doing what they need to control their life if the expense is a few seconds of my time waiting in line. Good for them. I'll just play on my iPhone.

Don' t they know you're a busy person, with things to do? How dare they hold you up.

I had a Christmas job at Micro Center computer store, and I was shocked at the amount of cash I took in. I would routinely drop over $10,000 cash on a six or more hour shift. Of course this was only for the Christmas season, so I imagine it was less otherwise, but still you'd think people wouldn't pay so much in cash.

R1 makes sense. It's not a biggie ............now, write a check and I'll punch you in the head (ha ha)

Our property tax installments were due yesterday, and I was amazed by the line of people at the courthouse who were paying in cash, just whipping into their pockets and pulling out big stacks of $100's.

Rent boys don't take plastic.

Cash is still more or less anonymous. Just don't get pulled over (for any reason) with a big wad of cash, to which you'll say "adios" and never see again -- legally.

OP is an idiot. You probably can't function without your apps on your stupid SpyPhone. Probably one of those stupid cunts who keeps their phone in their hands 24/7, whether or not you are using it.

You probably need an app to wipe the dingleberries off of your puckered butthole.

This is the problem with society is that we have become so impatient with our tapping, swiping, texting, that some people still prefer using cash to pay for items.

I'm sure the OP is talking about situations where the person took 30 seconds or less to look in their wallet. Hardly inconvenient. Or it was an elderly person who had trouble counting change. But we have to make sure the OP gets through the line fast enough.

The holy grail of self-employment is a cash paying customer base.

This trickles down to other merchants who like the idea of avoiding car merchants in favor of lockbox accounts.

Just swipe, bro

You are really running low on your troll topics, OP. I guess "cash bar" and "tipping" will be next, because they are so HIGHlarious

Word, r10. Over the summer I sometimes help out a friend that is a self-employed artist. The cash paying customers are the ones that allow her to eat that night. The turn-around for credit card paying customers isn't nearly quick enough to allow you to eat that evening (if you're doing a show and can't get away).

I prefer paying in cash because it IS anonymous. How many people have some something shady and been busted because they've used plastic? Yeah.

Do you swipe from back to front?

Have you ever noticed that even if you purchase something for cash if you do return it, they want all your personal info. I've had a few arguments with store management over that.

R13, just don't do shady things

I pay my rent in cash after they sat on a check for about six weeks.

Why would anyone sit on a check?

Swiping takes 1/2 the restaurant's net profit and gives to the banks.

But you just keep on swiping like a good little prol

I haven't written a chech in over 4yearx but I always pay for things under a hundred in cash. Especially tips.

I never carry cash. People even swipe at soda machines now

R15, I used to have periods of time when I was cash-only (long story). Anyway, I share your frustration with returning items bought in cash and STILL being asked for personal info. I decided to start giving FAKE personal info. They do it just to get one's address and email to deluge you with ads, correct?

I give them outdated information, a previous phone number and an address from years ago, with a fake name, R22. My personal data is none of their business.

I always wondered how often restaurants/bars cheat the staff out of their tips. I might pay the bill with a card, but I always tip in cash.

OP, slow down. There will always be someone in line ahead of you, wasting your precious time, cash or no cash. Does your head explode if someone has coupons?

I got into a tight spot financially a few years ago. I started using cash exclusively, except for paying bills. It turned out to be a big help in realizing just how much money I spent and how much things really cost. With cards, that realization goes right over my head. A little here and a little there adds up every time we walk out the door.

I'm a searcher for change, pennies. I do try to be prepared with my cash and change for the courtesy of others in line behind me and for the cashiers.

I keep a change jar for all my change at the end of the day. By the end of each year I've collected enough for a treat that feels free.

I also keep extra cash in a small fire proof safe, well hidden. One never know when cash will be needed if the machines shut down to due to an emergency. It's also a way for me to put away money I won't touch. This works for me.

Your time isn't any more important than the person in front of you.

Yes, r24. Waitstaff does get ripped off. This goes for anyone that receives a tip. Tip in cash.

One additional note, if you can't afford a 20% tip, then you can't afford to eat out or whatever situation in which you tip. Bag handlers in airports and hotels, research or discreetly inquire ahead of time.

Please tip in cash!

I wished I lived in this perfect world of easy swiping. It's usually: swipe - nothing'; swipe again - nothing; call for assistant; another couple of swipes, try different card and on and on, while the rest of us tap our feet..

They're off the grid, yo.

I got in a line at the grocery store a few months ago behind a man who used coupons. I'm sure OP would have had a seizure. To be fair, it was late at night so he probably waits until most customers are gone. At first I was surprised at how long it was taking, then I began paying attention. He had it down to an art form, and he paid very little for the groceries he got.

My problem with coupons is that they're rarely anything I want to buy.

Me too, r29. Once in a great while a coupon applies to me. People used to do very well with coupons. It takes time and patience to really scout them out. If I was on a very strict budget, I'd probably use them too, and tell OP to cool his jets.

OP needs to cool his jets regardless. Some people should become hermits.

I use cash when shopping at Christmas for gifts, wrapping paper, decorations, etc. I keep it in a separate wallet so that I can keep track of how much I spend. I don't want to get hit with a big bill after Christmas.

I'm very olde fashioned. I still feel I should apologise if I use a credit card for anything under $10.

In the olde days they had to make a call (on a rotary phone) to get your card verified.

I've been trying to use more cash to stick to a budget. I can afford to swipe mindlessly -I'm not an extravagant spender anyway- but I'm still wasting too much money on junk I don't need. Handing over cash does put things into perspective.

Coupons are nothing compared to the horror that is price matching. Our grocery stores all seem to be having a war where they are running ads that claim they'll match any competitor's price. Sounds fine, but it has to be apples to apples--same brand, same size.

I was behind some idiot who finally got the manager involved, and they had an item by item discussion about whether or not each item qualified. It was like buying a rug at a Turkish Bizarre. I read the whole National Enquirer while they were fucking around.

I knew what the responses would be from the start, based on the Jurassic, bitter contrarian demographics of DL. These are the "get off my lawn" type people.

The paranoia over revealing "person information" here is nuts. Just unreal!

It's not paranoia. If they don't need the information, why give it to them?

r35 Is it true Burt's on his deathbed?

Drugs dealers

I have never had a bank card, they sent me one and I tossed it. I carry a couple of hundred dollars in my wallet all of the time. If I'm making an online purchase, I'll buy a visa gift card at the grocery to use. I can't imagine using a card hundreds of times a month that is so easily copied and gives access to my bank accounts. The only downside is half of the time cashiers will look at hundred dollar bill like its a snake and they are afraid of it.

In all fairness to this gay icon film, it's a shitty movie inspired to cash in on her adopted daughter's claim her mother was abusive. At the time the book was all the rage with old Hollywood mogul shut-in types who enjoyed gossip. It was so poorly done people laughed at scenes in the theater. I noticed this when I saw the movie at the theater when it first came out. Even I laughed. That awful fake looking make-up and Dunaway's over-the-top performance. The producers thought it was serious, but it came off as campy. It's a shitty movie also because once you've seen it you really don't want to watch it again. It kinda annoys the audience. Not even worth buying it on DVD to keep on your shelf. It'll just collect dust. I suppose the whole idea of the spoiled brat daughter snitching on a great Hollywood icon as Joan Crawford was and still is, representing the "golden years of Hollywood," makes the viewer dislike the daughter for telling on her mother worldwide. In other words, the viewer is repulsed and thinks to themself what if their child did this to them? Especially an ungrateful adopted daughter who sought revenge because her mother didn't leave her a dime in her Will. Same thing also happened to film great of the same era, Bette Davis. Her adopted daughter also snitched on her mother, betraying her WHILE BETTE WAS STILL ALIVE, which was even more disgraceful. Bette never had a thing to do with her daughter after that and left most of her estate to her nurse, the daughter received not a dime for her betrayal. All in all "Mommie Dearest" plays like a dull Lifetime movie of the week with bits and pieces of overacting that comes off as camp. Not a "classic" film at all, really.

R33 brought back memories of after school jobs. I remember the swipe, carbon copies and dialing for an autorization code. Probably more secure then.

I hate the check writers.

[quote]I use cash when shopping at Christmas for gifts, wrapping paper, decorations, etc.

Wouldn't it be more efficient just to wrap the gifts in cash like I do?

[quote]Why would anyone sit on a check?

It was one of those novelty checks shaped like a buttplug.

[quote] It was like buying a rug at a Turkish Bizarre

Oh, dear.

You consider amounts over $20 to be significant? You're a cute little thing, OP.

I'll generally pay cash for any purchase around $50ish and, guess what...it doesn't take me any longer to pull a $50 bill out of my wallet than it takes me to pull out my credit card. Not to mention signing for the purchase.

If you're talking about those idiotic "shout" debit cards that you just wave near the reader you do realize that any person standing next to you can read your debit card and bank info just as easily as the card reader can, right? This has happened to pretty much everyone I know who's used them. You'll get it when someone steals your debit card info, cleans out your account and you accumulate overdraft fee on top of overdraft fees until you finally realize what happened.

P.M.B.T.

[quote]I'll generally pay cash for any purchase around $50ish and, guess what...it doesn't take me any longer to pull a $50 bill out of my wallet than it takes me to pull out my credit card. Not to mention signing for the purchase.

Many places won't accept bills larger than $20, especially in the evening.

Check writers don't bother me. It doesn't take more than a few extra seconds if checkbook is out and they're ready. If they take time to balance their checkbook in line, that's irritating.

No, the worst are the exact change cunts who act like it's some sort of great moral victory to rummage through their purse until they come up with 47 cents.

Our whole family is just like OP. Use a debit card even at Taco Bell. Don't carry cash. Down side is that four debit cards in the household have been cloned and the accounts emptied in the last two months. Bofa gives the money back, but creepy none the less So, there is an upside to cash only

I don't use debit because if you're hit with fraud, that money is not available to you until you clear it up. However, it doesn't make sense to not use a credit card for practically anything. If there is fraud on your credit card, you're made whole by the credit card company immediately (you don't have to pay for fraudulent charges). In fact, most card issuers are actively looking for suspicious activity and will alert you before you're even aware of it. Credit cards usually offer additional product protection. Lots of credit cards come with rewards features. All of my monthly recurring bills get charged to my card so that I earn cash back. Some even have price matching features built in. You also create an automatic log of all of your purchases that can be downloaded for budgeting purposes, whether you're tracking expenses in a spreadsheet or via personal finance software. In short, it's extremely shortsighted to say "cash only" when you consider the clear benefits of using credit instead. Use your cash to pay off the monthly balance in full, and you're being a smart consumer.

I also always carry some cash with me for those times in which credit is not accepted (rarely). If you're not able to control your spending unless you have pieces of paper to limit you, then I don't really know what else to say: you should probably be a ward of the state instead of living on your own? You have to be pretty slow to not be able to keep a running tally of money flow.

yeah I use cash to help not spend too much and I paid for my laptop in cash because once I decided to buy it I withdrew the amount so I won't spend it by mistake. what you probably haven't thought about OP is that for young adults they're just beginning to learn to manage their own money and a lot have control issues.

[quote] I also keep extra cash in a small fire proof safe, well hidden. One never know when cash will be needed if the machines shut down to due to an emergency. It's also a way for me to put away money I won't touch. This works for me.

Me, too. I started to stash cash as a way to save - I am not wasting my time on piddling interest. When it started to get up there I found I was much more careful about spending it. It's also how I buy specific desired objects that aren't essential. In an emergency I would be able to survive for quite a while.

R51, that's the problem. Most women I've experienced, don't even have their purses open, but wait until the total is figured out, rummage through the purse looking for the checkbook, write it out, then look for the driver's license. They then proceed to record it, spend more time wedging the license back into the wallet, put everything into the purse, and grab the stuff. God forbid, they be on the phone too.

[quote]No, the worst are the exact change cunts who act like it's some sort of great moral victory to rummage through their purse until they come up with 47 cents.

How DARE you talk about us in the is vile way!

[quote]Me, too. I started to stash cash as a way to save - I am not wasting my time on piddling interest. When it started to get up there I found I was much more careful about spending it. It's also how I buy specific desired objects that aren't essential. In an emergency I would be able to survive for quite a while.

It's always best to be prepared for all circumstances.

My coworker always uses cash. I always bug him that it's his 'allowance' (his wife makes more money than he does), but I think it has to do with staying on budget. Which is managed by his wife, incidentally. So I guess, in a way, it actually is his allowance...

[quote] Which is managed by his wife, incidentally. So I guess, in a way, it actually is his allowance...

You bet it is and he ain't gettin' a raise anytime soon!

OP I find it laughable that you consider anything over $20 a "significant amount"

R43, Joan always carried autographed photos when grocery shopping.

Early on, an 8×10 could fetch a fifth of Dimitri.

Later, she was forced to carry a large sack of nickles.

They are that one person at a 13-party dinner that insists on paying in cash while everyone else is dividing the tab evenly on their cards,

R54, Bank America automatically and instantly replaced my money when I was the victim of skimming. Of course, you will have to sign an affidavit attesting to the circumstances, but they put the money back instantly

Only drug dealers and hookers use cash. That's why it's all covered in cocaine.

It seems that people using cash tend to be very meticulously stingy and money-focused people, and not because of poverty or income. They are very focused on their money, and guard it like a hawk. Very finacially type A. Not me.

[quote]In an emergency I would be able to survive for quite a while.

This is one of the nuttier excuses I've seen. If there is an emergency severe enough for the banking system to be offline, then your paper currency is going to lose its value and you'll be up shit creek with everyone else.

R68, it could be fear of a different sort of emergency - one that puts the saver outside society's legal system.

Example: in the last year I've met three different individuals who stash bail money. The idea never occurred to me.

I've also met people who keep weed funds. I'm old. I didn't expect other people my age to keep a grand on hand in case they come across weed.

I roll my coins into those coun-sleeves, and take them to the bank. Since I usually use a credit card for everything, I usually don't get coins as change, so I rarely need to bring these coins to the bank.

R26, why tip in cash only? Is it to avoid taxes? I usually tip on my credit card, should I change that?

I do love it that a lot of places don't require a signature. So much faster,

This thread explains why so many DLers are so weird and antisocial. It's like talking to a bunch of old kooks...in 1964.

[quote]Our whole family is just like OP. Use a debit card even at Taco Bell. Don't carry cash. Down side is that four debit cards in the household have been cloned and the accounts emptied in the last two months. Bofa gives the money back, but creepy none the less So, there is an upside to cash only

Your either lying or you have a virus on your computer. No way in hell you can get hit four times in two months without contributing to the losses. I am betting your cell phone or computer has a virus.

Because, R70 when you pay with plastic, the credit card company subtracts a slice from the tips for its banks.

(banks take a bite out of everything - including the sales taxes).

[quote]Swiping takes 1/2 the restaurant's net profit and gives to the banks.

Banks make a measly profit for credit and debit transactions. And many restaurants refuse credit card transactions under $10. Some are cash only entirely.

If someone thinks taking half a business's profits in return for a swipe is measly - they must be a banker.

I've heard about management taking a share of the tip money as well as the restaurant pooling the money and dividing it equally. I can understand why they do that in casinos, but not in a restaurant.

Some states allow restaurants to collect credit card fees from the tip but that varies from state-to-state. Even in some states where it is legal, restaurants don't do it. But, that's between the employer and employee. If the employee doesn't like it, they can go elsewhere.

Servers who want to deal 100% in cash do so because they only have to claim income up to the minimum wage. It's a tax dodge and they're tax cheats.

People who use cards tip significantly more than cash folks

I wonder why you care OP? Silly.

No one is ever obliged to give information or argue about it. Another false gripe.

Gosh life is tough for some.

Nothing like Moeny to bring out the CUNT on the DL

I'm starting to use cash again. My new credit cards have that chip and checking out takes too long. Cash is faster.

Remember when prostitutes would take the old carbon paper slip, put it on top of your credit card and then rub a pen back and forth until the carbon paper had picked up the numbers off the card?

Life was so much simpler then.

OP - Maybe it's me, but I think it's funny that you think anything above $20 is a significant amount.

What are you, a TANF recipient?

I use my card to pay for a 16 ounce Pepsi. Cashiers just sit back and say "thank you."

R81, credit cards with embedded chip still work as regular swipe cards in the US. Swipe machines that require you to enter a pin code are virtually nonexistent.

R85 Yes and no. At Walmart anyway, you have to insert your chip card instead of swiping it (although no PIN is needed.) It rejects it if you swipe.

I've had my debit card compromised twice. It's cash for anything up to $100 for me.

Chipped credit cards don't take that much longer. You can sign the screen with an X or squiggle, if you're certain you'll never be reporting the transaction later (for a return/fraud). Many places now take contactless cards/Apple Pay/Google Wallet.

[quote]In the olde days they had to make a call (on a rotary phone) to get your card verified.

You must have lived in a rich town. With us, the cashier would pull out a paperback booklet and scan down the numbers to see if the card was on the list. Booklet was updated once a month.

[quote]Cash is still more or less anonymous. Just don't get pulled over (for any reason) with a big wad of cash, to which you'll say "adios" and never see again -- legally.

This is one of the most disgusting things about our country. Talk about a loss of freedom.

[quote]Swipe machines that require you to enter a pin code are virtually nonexistent.

Many stores already have the machines in place. The slot for the card is directly underneath the screen. However, they haven't moved over to the pin entry. And it's quite annoying because you have to insert the card and leave it in there while you sign or input the pin, not just swipe.

The chip slots are there, but it's a matter of activating them! As I said many places now work with contactless (Trader Joes, Subway, etc.); if you see a smaller, silver terminal, those usually take contactless as well, though not always.

[quote]Many places won't accept bills larger than $20, especially in the evening.

No place that I've ever been but OK. I'll just give them three $20s then.

It's not that I have some weird attachment to cash. I'm just self employed, have multiple back accounts that all need to be kept separate and I'm at the bank at least a couple times per week anyway so it's just easiest for me to get cash for small purchases/personal use while I'm there.

Lately I have noticed that my local Target has cashiers run bills through some sort of scanner if you are paying with cash. I usually pay with $20 or $10 bills. Is counterfeiting of cash on the increase too? Has anyone else seen this?

[quote]Swiping takes 1/2 the restaurant's net profit and gives to the banks.

IF this was true, then those places are stupid. as every 1st grader knows you build those costs into the price of your sale items.

r94

Interesting, tell us more.

Poor people are such a nuisance.

I haven't seen much of it r94 but for r96 here's the deal...

Anyone wanting to pass fake bills can walk into any random store with a $20 bill and buy something real cheap like, say, a pack of gum. So the store gets stuck with the fake bill and the passer of the fake bill walks off $19 in change never to be seen again.

I don't think I've ever seen a store scan a bill under $50 but if you do I'd suggest you keep one hand on your wallet at all times because the store has obviously had issues with fake bills and theft in the past.

Using cash means your debit and credit cards aren't compromised when the customer transaction database is hacked.

[quote]I don't think I've ever seen a store scan a bill under $50

I've seen plenty of stores "color" on $20 bills. And just the other day, I went to Wendy's and the cashier held my bill up to the light.

R98 - Thanks for the information. So, does this mean I should be checking my own money to prevent being accused of passing bad money?

What's next? Show up with a sack full of coins to pay Target for a toothbrush?

Sheesh.

Another reason to tip in cash is because if you put it on your card, the server doesn't get the tip that night, they get it in their paycheck. That can be a heck of a long wait for money they well deserve when they might be making less than minimum wage. And the 2% or 3% the credit card companies charge will be taken out of it too. It's not a matter of "cheating" on taxes or anything like that, it's just being considerate of wait staff and the difficult job they have, and how underpaid they are, and dependent on tips. If you liked the service you got, for pete's sake, tip them in cash. Everyone wins.

r101 if you're concerned you can buy a little pen-like scanner gadget at any office supply store for under $5.

I never really thought too much about this before today because my business almost never involves handling cash. But I do have friends who run small shops so I know how to spot a fake bill from them. Happened I had a few small errands to run on my way home tonight so I was paying particular attention. No one even glanced at my $20s.

Another interesting bit of food for thought for you, r101. I was asked for a photo ID while using a major credit card to buy what I now get was kind of an odd assortment of stuff at a big box retailer at an odd hour. I was dealing with family emergency and semi-jokingly asked the checker if she really thought I'd be using a stolen credit card to buy women's underwear in the middle of the night? Her good natured reply? You'd be surprised....

And, sure enough, my brother showed up a few days later, used his debit card exactly once and his number was cloned. Whoever got it made a few small "under the radar" test purchases before making a very large $10,000 purchase. But how nice of our lovely server, Justin, who stole his card number to graciously provide us with a dated and time stamped receipt along with his name and employee number.

Pick your poison, r101.

Cash still works when the power goes out.

Those pens are obsolete. Counterfeiters now routinely spray their money with a common substance (hairspray?) that fools them.

I shove the credit card up my ass, where it counts.

I never carry cash. Where would I even get it? My paycheck is on direct deposit. I haven't had to go to the bank in two years.

I pay with nature's credit card.

[quote]Servers who want to deal 100% in cash do so because they only have to claim income up to the minimum wage. It's a tax dodge and they're tax cheats.

Not true, R77. A friend who didn't file taxes for two years (she was deep into a drug addiction and had better things to do with her time and money) had to work with the IRS to clean up the mess she made. They were well aware of how much wait staff made in tips at her restaurant; she said their figures were very accurate. The IRS agent she dealt with said they had that information for all restaurants and that they gave filers very little wiggle room on reporting tips.

The biggest benefits in paying tips in cash are that it removes the employer from the equation, keeps the server from paying any fees and gives the server immediate access to his or her money.

Scan your own.

Another reason to use plastic is because they can't give you foreign money in return. I live in New York and I can't tell you the number of times a cashier will give me Canadian change in return. I usually look, but sometimes I'm in a hurry and just pocket the change, only later finding out that that quarter she gave me is a Canadian.

[quote]They were well aware of how much wait staff made in tips at her restaurant; she said their figures were very accurate. The IRS agent she dealt with said they had that information for all restaurants and that they gave filers very little wiggle room on reporting tips.

The restaurant has that info for anything run through their books (via credit cards or tip pools). The restaurant has no idea how much cash any one individual pockets. The IRS doesn't, either. They might can make an astute guess by looking at average tips done via credit cards, but that's all it is--a guess. I'm not sure why you would take the word of a drug addict to make any argument, though.

My dad pays for really expensive stuff in cash. Like designer clothes and stuff. Once I was with him when he brought a designer bag for my mother and he just whipped out a few thousand in cash. Don't understand it, I'd be way too scared to carry that much cash around.

R113 Your dad's a whore, dear.

R114 I'm not sure there's much of a market for short, balding middle-aged men. The smart money's on drug dealer.

My landlord accepts cash only

Wow, you can count on DLers to be stuck in 1962

You're a piece of work, R112. Not only that, you're not very bright.

First of all, the lying drug addict has been clean for years and is one of my closest friends. I've never known her to be anything but honest.

It's not about what the information the restaurant collects. The IRS has the tax returns of all of the employees who ever worked in a given restaurant. How hard would it be for them to come up with that data? They can probably look at a restaurant, see its customer base and the price of its food, look at how many tables wait staff covers and come up with a damn good estimate for how much the servers earn in tips.

I rarely keep cash around these days. Here in Australia almost everything has paywave, so you just tap on the reader and go.

I've never had any issues with the system or had fraud committed on my card, not to say it doesn't or couldn't happen, but it is rare. The fraud detection systems seem pretty good, I've had the bank contact me when they thought a legit purchase might have been suspicious because it was expensive and done at an odd time of morning.

Digital will be the way of the future. Most signs point towards and almost entirely cashless future, whether or not that is a good thing will probably be seen in the next few decades. I think with the advent of bitcoin and the like, it will be interesting to see where things lead.

Maybe we will even go full circle and bartering and trades of goods and services will be how some make their livelihoods. I guess that too isn't far off of an idea with some people, especially with the sharing economy idea being big at the moment.

[quote]Most signs point towards and almost entirely cashless future, whether or not that is a good thing will probably be seen in the next few decades.

But what would casinos do r119? Tell everyone at the table to sit tight for 10 minutes while they add or subtract every bet from everyone's debit card?

I'm only half joking but there are lots of situations where cash or check just works better.

I think straight guys like cash because they can lie to their wives, not about whores or drugs or anything interesting, more like how much they pissed away on the new outboard motor or the antique car they dragged home.

I've noticed my brothers seem to automatically tell their lives they paid at least 30% less than they actually did when it comes to stuff like that, and I assume the wives have a similar scheme in place.

I almost always tip in cash so they can have it immediately.

Such silly notions in this thread. I'm sure this may be hard to graps for the generwtions who have to socument their every breath but some people prefer not to leave a trail of every fucking thing they do and every place they've been. It's the principle of the thing.

I just spent about $1000 on vintage furniture and got great deals cause it was cash.

[quote]Another reason to tip in cash is because if you put it on your card, the server doesn't get the tip that night, they get it in their paycheck.

Not necessarily so, I have worked in hotels my whole life, usually in accounting and H/R and right now I'd say it's about 50/50. Many hotels and restaurants pay their tipped employees out at the end of they. As an accountant it's a pain in the ass. I don't buy the BS they have to wait because they easily make more than the front desk clerks and maids who DO have to wait to get paid.

You are correct about CC fees. Federal law allows companies to deduct fees for servers but only actual fees. However the employer must not make a deduction that would cause any employee to have wages fall below minimum wage and they must pay the employee by the next pay period whether or not they got paid by the CC company by that time.

However to be fair CC fees are built into the cost of food, so the server is GETTING MORE that he or she would get with just cast.

For instance, my cc processor charges 3% for each transaction fee. I want to sell my taco for a $1.00. As a restaurant owner I then add the cost of my cc fees to all my items. So that taco I want to sell for $1.00 I know sell for $1.03.

The customer comes in an leaves a tip and pays based on 20% of $1.03 NOT, $1.00 which he would be, if the place dealt with cash.

So how does that scanner at Target work.

Let's say you're bill is $11.00 and you hand the cashier a twenty. Does she scan the twenty in the machine and then put it in his/her drawer and return you with change?

Cheap people use cash.

Smart people use cash.

when I'm in lust with my cousin, I only pay cash

[quote] So how does that scanner at Target work. Let's say you're bill is $11.00 and you hand the cashier a twenty. Does she scan the twenty in the machine and then put it in his/her drawer and return you with change?

Yes. The cashier scans the bills, one at a time, before starting the transaction. So, if I give 3 $20 bills, each bill is scanned and then deposited into the cash drawer and change is given.

All you "cashless" idiots are paying the banks with every transaction.

A cash transaction does not require a bank. That's why they HATE cash.

You can get great deals if you pay in cash. Especially services.

Ask for a cash discount. You'll be surprised.

You can get a cash discount on very expensive items in which the vendor would have to pay a hefty fee due to the price, and even that discount is only given by small businesses. For everyday purchases, using credit is the only way to go. You're not going to haggle a discount with your run of the mill lawn service company.

You have better negotiating power purchasing a vehicle in cash. I know I did.

R132 Seriously? Why would they prefer cash over a check (certified or cashier's)? Why would a business want to risk having that much cash on hand?

I think a check is considered "cash" in this context, no?

[quote]Swiping takes 1/2 the restaurant's net profit and gives to the banks. But you just keep on swiping like a good little prol

I'm the customer, why the hell am I supposed to worry about the restaurant's profit margin? I didn't haggle on the price and they are the ones deciding which cards to accept. You sound weird.

r134 Well, not in the original post. But if you were referring to check vs. credit cards for a car purchase? I don't think many car dealers allow you to use a card-- and if they do, it's only for a portion of the purchase.

You guys who use your fucking phone for everything and hold it in your hands and against your heads 24/7 are gonna get brain cancer. just wait and see.

I use cash, cash is king. you peeps are dumb. They keep records of what your buy and all kinds of personal info on you. I value my privacy.

You can't leave your house if you value privacy, R137. Even then, anything that plugs in to a network is tracking you. Or are you dictating your posts for your grand-nephew to enter later?

R137 seems a tin-foil-hatted nutter.

R135 is correct.

Anyone who thinks the merchant is the one paying card fees to the bank has failed Econ 101.

R137, get therapy, man

I used to use debit cards for everything. A few months ago I went to an outdoors gas station that got hacked and stole my debit card number. By the time I got home, they had stolen over $1000. The first couple debits went through before the bank stopped it, although they where all charges out of state and plainly nothing to do with me. That's the second time.

I got an ecard, but some places it works and some places it doesn't. I never know until I try, and the money's tied up in an account that doesn't work all the time. I started carrying cash again. Works almost everywhere, nobody stealing my bank account and pin numbers, can shop at all the big box stores I go to without worrying that their shitty, non-existent security systems are going to keep my data safe.

Why do people still use debit cards again? Only poor people refuse to use credit.

My credit cards have been compromised many times. It has cost me nothing. Last year I got $1200 in cash back, plus two free Marriott hotel nights, plus 18,000 frequent flyer miles. I have no complaints and will continue to use credit cards as often as I can.

R6 Sure they do, there's Square now. Just clip it to your phone and go! They know you're high class when you use it because it's the high denominations people usually don't carry!

I use cash because I'm rich and I don't care if I hold up everyone else. I also want people to try and mug me so I have an excuse to use me gun!

what about those prepaid visa/mastercards? Anyone uses those? Are they expensive? what about those paypal cards? I saw those being sold. Anyone use those?

I use cash, I hate credit.

I have a 67 year old neighbour, successful businessman, does no on-line banking, pays by cash mostly. Starting to think he may be doing the right thing. Went to a cyber security conference not long ago and the presenters said there are 2 types of companies:

Those that have been hacked and those that are about to be hacked. Cash is king.

For certain items, I will use credit card in case you need to dispute it later, a big purchase or some kind of transaction that you're afraid you may be screwed .

Some guy on the street was offering free $5 starbucks card for people to fill in their info for some car company. Yeah, like I'm gonna sell my personal info for $5 bucks.

It is so old timey to use cash.

[quote] Over the summer I sometimes help out a friend that is a self-employed artist

WHO

You don't have a friend "that" is, you have a friend "who" is.

[quote] Some guy on the street was offering free $5 starbucks card for people to fill in their info for some car company. Yeah, like I'm gonn

I'd give them fake information.

A former boss, a school bully, a religious nut. I'm sure you know someone whose name and address is worth a free cop of coffee.

Using cash makes me understand easier how much I spend. I also take coins home and put into box and return to the bank few times a year. I use debit card when buying bigger things. Never use credit card.

[quote] Swiping takes 1/2 the restaurant's net profit and gives to the banks. But you just keep on swiping like a good little prolit's

Bunkum

My cousin owns a restaurant. He wouldn't accept credit cards if this were true.

I use credit cards because they offer buyer protection, cash back, or miles to use for travel or gift cards. If you pay the full balance every month, you are rewarded for using someone else's money for free! Only an idiot wouldn't take advantage of this. Of course, the card company is just waiting for you to not pay in full, then it becomes less of a deal.

People with lousy credit not only can't get cards, they can't always open bank accounts either I understand. I assume recovering shopaholics would use cash as well.

R155 should actually ask cousin rather than assuming

[quote]All you "cashless" idiots are paying the banks with every transaction.

Not really, businesses figure in the costs they pay to the banks and add it to the price of the product they sell. The consumer pays ultimately whether they pay cash or credit or debit

[quote]what about those prepaid visa/mastercards? Anyone uses those? Are they expensive? what about those paypal cards? I saw those being sold. Anyone use those?

What you're looking for is a thing called "Bluebird." It is a debit card issued by American Express and it's awesome.

First of all it costs nothing, and no credit check.

Second you can deposit money for free at any Walmart. You can also deposit free with direct deposit or bank transfer.

Third you get a sub account called "set aside," which lets you control your "debit balance." For instance, if I put $5,000 on the card, I can move $4,800 of it, to "set aside." Thus my Bluebird debit now will only allow me to spend $200. So if my card got hacked, the most the theives could get would be this.

American Express will replace the money in the above example, but it takes a bit of time. So it's a cool feature to minimize your loss, unlike other prepaid cards.

Fourth, it has an American Express logo and you can use it as a credit or debit transaction and get free ATM transactions at a lot of places.

Fifth, you can open "junior" accounts for anyone. For instance if you want you could give your child a card (over 13 only) and put $20 a week on it for an allowance. Or open one for a parent and they get a card and you can put money on it. Since it's subordinate to your card, you control it.

Sixth, you get American Express extended warranties when you buy with it, Amex customer service and things like bill pay and even checks (those cost a bit, but usually they offer them free once a year), so you can use it as a checking account.

The only downside is it's not a bank so if Amex were to go under you could potentially lose any money you have on the card.

I can't say enough good things about this, if you want a prepaid AND you live near a Walmart for free loads. Otherwise you have to pay to load it and that kind of sucks :o)

[quote]People with lousy credit not only can't get cards, they can't always open bank accounts either I understand. I assume recovering shopaholics would use cash as well.

Not exactly, I've never heard of anyone being denied a bank account, a checking account yes, but not a savings bank account. Chex Systems, is like a credit bureau for checking accounts. Some banks use it, some use actual credit checks, some use both and there are a few that use neither.

[quote]My credit cards have been compromised many times. It has cost me nothing.

Not really true, you pay for it later in higher interest rates, and even if you pay no interest, other people pay for your cards being compromised. There is not a free lunch anywhere.

Christians always pay in cash. they think credit is the devil's work

I use gold. I carry my gold around and hack off a piece, weigh it on my portable scale and pay like that.

r164 has never heard of gold coins.

R165 Sure I have. Too portable. Thief bastards are going to have to wrestle me to the ground and grab the 20 lb. nugget I wear on me in an infant carrier, if they want my gold.

Me: My credit cards have been compromised many times. It has cost me nothing.

R162: Not really true, you pay for it later in higher interest rates, and even if you pay no interest, other people pay for your cards being compromised. There is not a free lunch anywhere.

Me: I never carry a balance on my charge card. I charge almost everything possible, and then I pay my credit card bills in full each month. I've heard it said that you should never carry a balance unless it's for capital equipment, like furniture or a car. I usually don't buy something if I can't expect to pay in full before interest accrues. I can't understand why people pay credit card fees; or pay a bank account fees, if they have other options.

It's easy to find good credit card promotional offers via Google. Last year for using my cards, I got $1200 in cash back; plus 2 free nights at a Marriott; plus 18,000 Marriott points; plus 18,000 frequent flyer miles. And I only have credit cards that do not charge be an annual fee, unless they offer other unique and better benefits to offset that added cost.

I wouldn't recommend a debit card for anyone just because one can get one, as opposed to getting a credit card, if at all possible. The credit cards offer better protection and other benefits, .

[quote]AND you live near a Walmart for free loads

Doesn't everyone get their free loads at the bathhouse?

R162, I think the bluebird is different from a pre-paid credit card. My understanding is that a consumer pays cash to a bank, typically, who in return, gives them a pre-paid card that is loaded with the cash that the consumer just payed to the bank, minus a commission by the bank. It can be used to pay bills at merchants who accept the cards.

Merchants like the cards because it drives consumers back to their stores to spend the prepaid money. Or, people lose the cards, and never spend the remaining balance on the card, which enriches the bank, too. It is an awful choice for the consumer. My understanding is that they are used mostly by people with no credit history, or bad credit history, as a way to establish a good credit history of managing their credit in a trustworthy manner. Later, once they get good history, they apply for a credit card and cancel the prepaid card,

It's wise to have some cash at home or at your business just in case you can't access your account. I can think of a number of issues that could impact your account. Even mistakes happen and can take a while to correct so best have enough money to pay for necessities for a bit of time. I make sure I have at least enough to pay mortgage, utilities, food, transportation for several months - actually I have more but my original intent was to just have emergency cash available.

For some reason I got a bit addicted putting cash in my safe. Now I use the extra for things I want but totally don't need. I just bought a number of pieces of vintage furniture and because it was cash got substantial discounts.

So many paranoid crazies here. Not shocked

I always keep $300-400 in cash with me, in 20s or smaller. I need it to tip a handyman, a bell hop, at a restaurant, or when I am buying something small like a yogurt or a bottle of water. It's also good to have in an emergency. When the electricity was out for 10 days, the closest grocery store would let us in, in small intervals, cash only, because the machines were down. My newish car died on HWY 101 near a little town, and I slipped the garage guy $100 to get me on the road asap. It worked, and I was on the road in an hour, making other cars wait for service. Cash talks. It's also good to get to know your banker. If they recognize your face, and you're a good customer, it helps with getting loans or sorting out a banking problem quickly. I go to the bank every couple of weeks and make my deposits in person. and get some cash. Now I'm on a first-name basis with the bank president and the tellers Get to know your local banker! I never use a debit card, but keep track of all other expenses by using a credit card. I never travel anywhere without at least $500 cash, and even more when I'm in Europe. Cash has served me well.

Credit Card companies charge Vendors around 3% for the "privilege" of accepting their cards.

If you buy a $40,000 car with your credit card, $1,200 of that price is going to the cc company.

If you're paying "cash" (check etc.) you bet your ass you can negotiate most of that $1200 off the price.

I usually have under $200 in cash on my person or in my home, I've never found that I was short of cash and couldn't get it from my bank. I think keeping more than $500 or so in your home is unnecessary and more likely to be stolen than to be necessary in an emergency. Plus, I'd rather have that money invested somewhere making more money for me.

[quote]If you buy a $40,000 car with your credit card, $1,200 of that price is going to the cc company.

Most dealers wouldn't allow you to put the full cost of the car on the card, so this is a moot point. Good luck negotiating that additional reduction of $1,200, R173, unless the car is already over-priced.

You can usually negotiate a lower cash price for almost anything. Especially if you deal with the owner of a business.

Germans are a bit technophobic when it comes to money and were paying cash long after credit/debit cards became the norm in the rest of Europe. I remember standing in line in a department store many years ago when the woman ahead of me in the line paid for a small battery with a DM500 note. Nobody batted an eyelid. I often saw people draw out DM1,000 notes at the bank and put those into their wallets and purses. Many chain stores common throughout Europe didn't take cards as payment in Germany then, either. Cash or checks only.

Swipe, don't use cash folks

Some older people even still use cash at automatic payment machines. Ugh

The OP and the idiot fucks who agree are idiots. You fucking cunts can't live without your goddamn phone or swiping or using some bullshti technology that costs you more in the long run.

Cash is King. If I see anyone swiping today I will shoot the cunts in the cunt.

Yeah, I hate to be behind someone using cash at an automatic payment machine. There ought to be a "no cash" line.

In the US, there's no more swiping. The replacement is not efficient. You insert the card, and wait...and wait...and, op! It's recognized your card, please wait...and wait. It's actually very brief, but it's longer than the swipe. They have to fix that.

R180, dear Mr. Brontosaurus, what are you ranting about?

You can still swipe almost everywhere

R183 You still HAVE to swipe in a lot of places-- they haven't upgraded their machines for the chip.

Do these people not realize they are holding the OP up? He is a busy little queen! Busy, busy, BUSY !

Why do people wait until the items are totaled to go into their wallets or pocket books? You should have your money out from the start.

They need to have a separate line for people who still use cash. They tend to also be the same people knit picking the clerk about the price of every item

I'm sure there are Dataloungers who think it's normal to put everything on a credit card — the same ones who think Hillary Clinton would be the best next president.

LOL

What do you use, R188?

I can't stand this. Get a debit card and use it!

Debit cards suck. Why wouldn't you use a credit card instead, if you qualify? Or is that it, the qualification?

r119, Be careful what you wish for and/or predict. "Cashless" means 100% government tracking (not just purchases but locations); the further rule of banksters, forcing everyone, even homeless people, into paying to keep bank accounts; forcing families to give children bank cards to buy treats, comics, etc., instead of coins or small bills; forcing every citizen to pay fees simply to be able to SPEND their own money, which wouldn't really exist except in some "Cloud" account; and, of course, the government's unfettered ability to confiscate anyone's account (what could possibly go wrong?).

Cash is King; but Cashless is a Tyrant.

Moreover, there would be no need for physical banks or their employees, in a Cashless society. So everyone would need to be on-line ("You can go to the public library, you poor people.").

Well, maybe for Safe-Deposit boxes.

R192, I'm not a conspiracy theory anti government loon. Cards only

r194, I have no idea what you mean by your post. Nothing in mine is "loony."

All this doomsday fearmongering. Chill

There are a lot of people who get paid under the table and get paid in cash or illegal activities ( selling drugs ). They pay cash for everything because they can't deposit into a bank and then write a check.

I recently went to pay my property taxes in person with a check, because quite frankly I just forgot to mail them in, the line was huge because it was the last day to pay. I was stunned at the number of people who were paying in cash, many in thousands of dollars. That is when it occurred to me, many if not most of these people weren't declaring this income for tax purposes.

But yet, there they were, paying taxes.

All car dealerships allow you to pay the down payment on a credit card.

Most people use it as a chance to use one of their rewards or miles cards.

This just happened to me. I was behide a man at a grocery store who brought $200 worth of orchids. He pulled out cash, but did not have enough. Instead of paying with credit card, he opted to go to his car to get more cash, then come back to pay. He got the cash and did come back to pay. I think he was a drug dealer. What do you all think?

Cash is the ultimate status symbol. It shows you actually have money to spend and buy things outright and your life isn't hollowed out into a series of monthly payment financed by multiple credit cards and a mortgage consolidation.

Cash is always king. You'll always get a better discount paying cash for a car than paying for finance.

I use cash only at gas stations. Sometimes the price is lower, and it avoids the skimmers that steal your data. Otherwise it's credit cards for everything. The rewards have saved me a fortune, and I use cash to pay them off every month.

[quote] knit picking

I must nitpick here.

[quote]This just happened to me. I was behide a man at a grocery store who brought $200 worth of orchids. He pulled out cash, but did not have enough. Instead of paying with credit card, he opted to go to his car to get more cash, then come back to pay. He got the cash and did come back to pay. I think he was a drug dealer. What do you all think?

It depends what you meant by "behide," R200. If you were *behind* this man, you probably should have gotten in another line. If you were *beside* this man, no big whoop.

They hold up the line and often nit pick every thing

I use cash for any purchase under $50 it's faster and I don't have to wait for the transaction to clear and it's a good way of controlling your budget.

I use cards for everything because I don't carry cash

Some people are fast.

Some people think about others around them.

Some people are not fast.

Some people do not think of anyone around them.

If you are stilll gonna use cash in 2017, at least have your money out and ready to pay beforehand. Stop waiting until the items are totaled to retrieve your money.

Does anyone live in a city where a lot transactions are NFC payments? I think I would appreciate that. for all the little purchases of my daily life and commute.

Cash is faster than the doofus young people I see paying for a croissant and some vile drink with a debit card which they have to fish out of the wallet which has to be fished out of the backpack which has to be removed from the back and then the card has to be put pack in the wallet, into the backpack and the backpack put back on the back and oh wait, can I have a bag?

I'll fuck you so hard you'll see God but please, no checks !

When I was little I picked up on the fact that my mother had a peeve about using a credit card to pay for food. Groceries, fast food & small bills at restaurants were always paid in cash. Dad always paid whenever he was present and fluctuated between using cash, checks and sometimes a credit card.

People engaged in criminal activity must deal only in cash, they can't deposit into their bank accounts so they have to pay cash for everything.

OP you must be really important that someone pulling cash out their wallet disrupts your day.

I carry cash, and pay for most things with cash. It's a habit I developed in college. Limited resources, it helped me budget to actually see how much money I had left.

Same reason I have an analog watch. I like to be able to see how much time I have left before an appointment.

I use Samsung Pay for almost everything (reads swipe slot for pseudo-NFC where real NFC unavailable).

Cash used only for cash-only barbershop.

You can't use credit or debit @ the dispensaries. I wonder how the millennials manage to buy their weed.

Just out of curiosity over the past year it seems we can barely make it a week without a hacker story. Not insignificant ones. The most recent, Equifax, are bringing to light what major companies have done to avoid oversight and how their response to the hack sucked.

So why step willingly into this world when there is an alternative that reduces your risk? Especially NFC.

I pay cash for almost everything, the exception being the occasional trip to the gas station when I use my card.

Here's something guaranteed to annoy:. at the self checkout line at the market, I use that opportunity to feed as much loose change into the machine as payment so I can get rid of it. I try to limit this to days it's not busy, but if there's an impatient asshole fuming behind me out come the coins!!!

Cash is king.

And I guarantee you, I've spent more time waiting for the machines to do their work ("Swipe again. Swipe again. Let me rub the strip, sometimes rubbing it with a plastic bag helps. Swipe again.") than waiting for someone to fish a few bills out of their wallet.

[quote]All car dealerships allow you to pay the down payment on a credit card.

That's not necessarily true. There is a fee associated with that and the dealership will balk if you put too much of the down payment on the card. Or they won't be as reasonable on the deal they offer. When I purchased my car a couple of years ago, they would only let me put $5000 on the credit card.

R19, I used to LOVE doing that with the machines at CVS. And I'd give my kids a handful of coins and let them buy gum and do some math/counting. Now they're only for cards and there's a big line of people wanting to pay cash at the regular cash register.

The CVS employees told me that they were spending way too much time and manpower fixing the machines. But now they're spending all their time checking out customers who use cash. Another CVS store three blocks away still has machines that accept cash.

Cash is king!

The guy who cuts my grass charges $35.00. I always pay in cash: I don't think I could even pay him with a credit card if I wanted to.

Paying cash makes more sense than paying for a fucking $3 cup of coffee with a card. Please. All you're doing is making sure Visa makes more money. They take a cut of every transaction.

Many stores are no longer accepting cash as payment, likely due to counterfeit bills. Or these days, it's because their staff can't count above 10. But yes, I've seen signs stating "Debit or Credit Cards Only".

Definitely be proof of how many old, out of touch freaks are on the site

The old school bagel place in my neighborhood only accepts cash. I think they do it partially for the laughs you get from telling a 24 year old that they don't accept cards. Cards aren't any faster than cash, assuming you know how to subtract from 100. And cash never has software problems. It still works when the electricity goes out. It still works when the servers are down. People who are eager to abandon cash are shortsighted and inexperienced.

Definitive proof of

I am surprised by the amount of millenials & Gen Xers who carry NO CASH and only use credit cards whether they're making a purchase as small as a burger & a Coke etc....

R230 its because they live paycheck to paycheck if they can find work at all and need that credit card float/outright loan. Who cares what it costs? I'll pay for it later!!!!

R226 - I don't know about many. I think it may be more about location than anything else. The concern is about theft. That includes employee theft.

I use a credit card when absolutely necessary. I use to do consulting work for independent retail stores. These were stores with sales in the $10 million to $50 million a year range. Two of them were hacked and credit card/customer info was obtained. This was years ago. Fortunately for me had nothing to do with what I did for them. But I heard the stories. What amazed me was there already was an entire industry in place to handle these cases. Well established. Not start-ups. Which led me to conclude this happens far more frequently then we know or read about.

On top of that over the next five years the changes in retail that were implemented to prevent this were substantial. Which again led me to conclude this was more of a problem than anyone wants to admit.

If you look at the recommended measures to protect yourself from credit card fraud they are reactive. Check you accounts, sign up for text and email alerts, don't take all your cards with you.

And making every transaction computerized makes it insanely easy to steal.

Op, you are not important.

People barely use cash anymore in my country, it's mostly debit/credit cards.

I use cards always. Easy and convenient

This tread really shows how fucking ancient and out of touch so many DL posters are.

0% cards can be enormously helpful when moving / renovating. I have a lot of expenses & absolutely can cover them with cash, but now I don't have to for a year. So, if there's an emergency or if I miscalculate something, I have a year to solve it before I am even charged interest. For a $10,000 bill, it's just $100 / mo for 12 months. Then it'll be $150 / mo in interest + $100 a month & I do not generally carry a balance (unless it's 0%).

Who else would give you a 0% loan? In theory, if I wasn't a stock market fuckup, I could also take the $10,000 and put it in the stock market for 12 months and earn 5-10% on it - and then pay back my bills.

A lot of people use 0% and low interest cards because they don't have any cash, of course, but in these situations, it's incredibly helpful.

I hate the chip too. But I use cash for under 100 dollars if I can because it's a good way to stay on budget. It takes make a 30 seconds longer to dole out the cash. If someone in back of me has a problem with that they can either put my order on their credit card of go fuck themselves. The choice is theirs.

I do both but often cash when in amounts below $50. It does not take longer. In fact when I insert (chip) or swipe using debit rather than charge it takes longer. I don't like using charge cards for small amounts because I keep track of the monthly statements for the charge cards (and pay them in total every month electronically). I pick up just enough mistakes to keep me checking the statements (and sometimes just the record).

I would bet that those who use credit cards for everything tend to run up large balances/debt.

I worked in Manhattan, and was in the 52% tax bracket for a while. I've paid more than my fair share of taxes. Now I've moved to the country, and have one part-time job where I can ask for cash. I'm not letting the gov't in now unless I have to.

Charge a lot - NO DEBT

I sometimes pay cash, it's faster than a chip card.

This thread is from 2015 and still reads like 1995 or something. I worked in retail in the late 90s and I remember there were 2 malls that our store was in that I would work at. In the less wealthy area, it was nearly all cash from customers. Hundreds every day, per person. In the wealthy mall, it was nearly all credit. I asked my manager what that was about and she said it was mostly due to the fact that nobody qualified for credit in the less upscale area. I am surprised this hasn't come up in all 242 posts. Not everyone can even get a credit card - regardless of if they want to use it or not.

The other posts don't even make sense. You'd go to a furniture store and bring $5000 in cash? Then if you want to change something on your order, you wait for a check to come back or go back in and pay another $500 for something else? A card is a million times easier. And you can track everything far more accurately to see where you've spent things and how your budget is doing.

I’m glad so many stores have card-only checkout likes. They are so much faster thAn the other lines. The cash lines tend to have fussy people who nickel and dime every purchase and dispute the Cashier

OP you're an idiot. Swiping allows everyone to be tracked. Intelligent people know secure businesses prefer cash. No fees.

Cash is king.

The other day I was in a line at a small grocery store and in front of me were three young women -- all were buying a juice drink or a smoothie. All were paying with their card. All of them fumbled to get their cards out of their wallets. All of them were distracted by talking on the phone, and forgot to slide their cards in. All of them took forever to get the transaction finished. Cash would have taken less than half the time.

Y’all so old and out of touch. Like Jurassic relics

R248 thanks for sharing. People like that, especially young ones, drive me insane! I try not to let it bother me. Behavior like that makes merchandise more expensive. These days, people simply can't think forward and analytically.

R246

R249, you need to go to a better school and you need an ass beating! And I don't mean the kind you'd like!

[quote]Not only do they pay in cash, but they seem to painstakingly go through their wallets and purses to scrape up and count the money they need. They are so slow and hold up lines. Swiping is so much easier and faster.

OP=sad, overworked shopbottom.

I prefer cash. I tell my sisters if I die in my sleep go through my books - literally- cause you won't have to pay for my funeral.

Why? Smh

I'm thinking about going back to cash for everything except rent. To get off the grid, so to speak.

R252 get off the internet and get to work! You have far more problems than you're aware.

R253, my mother was like that. After she died, we did as instructed and went through her house looking for her cash. There was a goddamn fortune. We were laughing and crying at the same time.

Unfortunately, she had been squirreling it away her whole life and most of the bills are ancient. I’ve had way too many cashiers call over a manager to make sure they’re legit; some of the young ones have never seen a pre-1990 $50 bill and think it’s counterfeit.

Good times. Cash money.

What's it to you, dumbass?

Some people are stuck in Time. Sad

It is nice seeing so many people willing to be patient.

I, however, am not patient enough to read through all the posts, so I apologize if this has been covered. But when you pay with your phone, you are not putting your account data out there. You are passing a one time token that can't be reused.

God Bless.

Cash is a pain even with banks. I once deposited 300 dollars in a BofA ATM because I don’t like carrying around large amounts of cash. Instead of a receipt I got a “oops something when wrong” notice. I called the bank immediately and demanded the money be deposited. They gave me a temporary credit, but they said it could be up to 3 months until the deposit was verified. This turned out to be true and a few months later a received a notice that the money was no longer a temporary credit and had been verified. How the fuck does it take three months to verify 3 hundred dollar bills?

Take it to a bank, R257.

[quote]No way in hell you can get hit four times in two months without contributing to the losses. I am betting your cell phone or computer has a virus.

I know this is from over four years ago, but I have two debit cards and both were compromised in the same week. One was because of the Stripe payment system here on this board! The other was because my idiot city uses software for payments and after it was hacked they "forgot" to patch it. Neither situation was one where I thought I'd have a problem.

I do pay everything online with a credit card now just in case, not even Paypal because their "buyer protection" is a lie, but I still use my debit card in town.

Something tells me them new phones have valuable information and someone could get close to a person and steal all your money from the bank with some sort of other gadget. Nope, I prefer my money in cash.

They make wallets with RFID blocking protection now because it's easy to get close to someone and scan their cards through the wallet, but only if the cards have RFID technology. Most credit cards don't so there's not a huge risk.

So glad to see card only merchants

Cellular phones/smart phones are not safe. They're at risk of being hacked worse than computers. Don't do something stupid like take a picture of a check and deposit it to your bank account using your "smart phone". I only use my iPhone for telephone calls and occasional text messages. R266 I won't patronize card-only merchants because that drives up the price of services and merchandise. If a business doesn't want to take cash, then it doesn't want me as a customer. If a business wants to charge a fee to take a payment, then it doesn't want me as a customer. I'm not giving someone money to give them money. That's called business ethics, which basically don't exist today. It was a required course for my degree in Economics.

R250

Fuck you, creepy Chinese social credit promoting spook bitch.

If you've ever travelled in Italy you know they prefer cash (euros) especially outside the tourist areas.

R267, get help dude

R270 my educated guess is you're too young to have proper respect, don't have a proper education, you're not from this country, or any combination of the foregoing. Enroll in an accredited university for a course in Ethics or Business Ethics.

R267

Corral all the cash kooks into their Own separate line like many stores do now

R256=sad, overworked shopbottom.

R273, you're going to be sad and overworked when you're deported. I talked with federal and state investigators this week. You really should get off the internet and get some work accomplished!

Isn't it interesting, R274 that you were able to reply so quickly to my post. Slow day at the Goodwill receiving center?

Stop 🛑

Stop 🛑

Technophobes are pitiful

R278, I suggest you learn about the new Patriot Act instead of calling people names.

As someone who was sued - all my credit card documents were subpoenaed to prove where I was. Since then, I use primarily cash. Not a technophobe - but I don’t want such an easily traceable record of where I was and when.

Another place I won’t ever use a card is a gas pump. Twice have been swiped. I guess because they are not monitored by camera.

R280 thanks for sharing. For good reason, a friend calls me the most suspicious person he knows.

What made you that way dude?

Business owners that have a lot cash customers and, of course, people in the illegal drug business.

I would never carry large amounts of cash on me, for safety reasons. I worked at several restaurants back in the early 90's and I hated to have to be the one to deposit the money at the bank drop box. Anybody could have easily been watching me do this on a daily basis, and robbed me. One restaurant, where I worked at as a server, got robbed at gunpoint twice by several guys after closing. Thankfully I wasn't there both times it happened, but it was an inside job by the dishwasher and some of his friends. Stupidly though, they only demanded money from the register at the bar - not realizing each of the servers were carrying several hundred dollars - $1k plus on them by the end of the night, because they each had to have their own "bank" of cash on them.

Those of you using cash only are literally pissing money away. It is true, credit card companies make 2-4% of each swipe, and businesses have that baked into their pricing. So when I use a 1.5% to 2% cash back card, at least I'm getting something. Those of you paying cash are paying for my rewards and then some (because you are paying the same price and getting nothing back).

I understand the budgeting angle to cash, but if that is a concern, get a cash back credit card, once you have it, call them up and ask them to lower your limit to whatever your monthly budget is ($1500 or whatever).

R282 when I was very young I was the most naive person. Due largely to the Patriot Act, almost everything Americans do today is monitored and potentially recorded. There at least 3 federal agencies involved. Companies like Facebook, Microsoft and Apple turn over data to the Feds. I remember an interview of the founder of a data-collection company from more than 20 years ago. He specifically said Americans are not entitled to privacy. So I educated myself to ensure I was no longer naive. Did you see the news item from this week that the FBI warned that "smart TVs" are spying on Americans? Credit card transactions ensure a person is tracked, including on the Data Lounge. I haven't done anything wrong, but my privacy and rights should not be violated. R284 you're correct. I never carry a large amount of cash unless it's necessary and I'm properly escorted.

I get my salary paid to me in cash by the company I work for, they also pay all their suppliers and contractors in cash and only accept cash from their customers. Not everyone likes or trusts cards.

R287 my first two jobs were for banks. It costs money to use those cards.

So what r286? I’m good

[quote]Not a technophobe - but I don’t want such an easily traceable record of where I was and when.

We have a lot of people on here who think it's hilarious to tell anyone who cares about their online security that they're just an eldergay technophobe who is out of touch. Once saw one say you didn't need to worry about using numbers or symbols in your password, just any old word will do because who's going to hack you personally anyway?

It's like the guy we used to have who posted false medical advice hoping someone would hurt themselves.

I use only cash, fuck the OP

R290 if i interpret your comment correctly, you should read a book titled "The Right to Privacy" by Ellen Alderman and Caroline Kennedy. To follow is a true tale.

I don't care for Apple products, but since i have an IPhone, i began using a compatible Mac laptop. Never had an itunes account and didn't want one. The phone had a malfunction it wouldn't permit me to correct, my cellular carrier couldn't correct it and Apple couldn't either. The latter finally said i'd have to get an itunes account and fix it that way. So. i tried to register for an itrunes account and assign an itunes password.

My laptop reported that i couldn't use as my itunes password the same password as for any other application on my computer!

Do you know what the means? My laptop spies on every paswrold i use for every application. Basiicaly, Apple spies on every customer and turns over data to the U.S. Government under the Patriot Act and other laws. Apple is not the only "offender". The DataLounge tracks and targets registered users via their credit cards.

How does that strike you and do you believe my criticism is being a technophobe? It's not and respectfully, anyone who believes that can go straight to Hades! The aforementioned did not exist when i was a small boy. Tthere was no home internet, no home computers, no smart phones, no cameras everywhere and being surveilled 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for life! That's what we live under in the USA today, worse than Nazi Germany.

So much whining.

OP is why they hate us.

[quote]Smart people use cash.

Datalounge seems like a Dollar Store sometimes.

Between the old hens who don't trust new fangled things like modern credit cards (since 1950), the privacy freaks, the shady dealers, the fussbudgets with their envelopes and coin purses, and the people who can't trust themselves with their own credit and buying habits, it's a sad testament to gays and their famous(ly overstated) disposable income.

I parked at a lot tonight that had event parking for $20. They wouldn't accept cash, only credit card or money transfer. That's the way to force people to come into the 21st century, by stopping the acceptance of cash at more places.

Americans (unlike Germans, Norwegians, and other nationalities mentioned above) have forgotten how to look out for the common good.

The more people Visa can convince to pay with phones or plastic, the more restaurants and other businesses have to raise their prices to cover the extra 2% to 3% (in some cases nearly 5%) Visa adds in merchant fees to the price of everything we buy.

What percent raise did your brother/sister get last year?

This thread explains so much about the bizarre views and psychosis of people here. Just wow.

Debit cards are the best option: convenience without the risk of overspending. I only use a credit card, when there’s no alternative.

The bad thing with using debit cards at point of sale devices is if that vendor gets hacked. I used to use mine at Target but I got snared into that big breach they had about 6 years ago. I had to kill the debit card and get a new one. When I use a card at Target now I use a card that doesn't have access to my bank accounts.

r300 I live in the EU and our system is pretty airtight. The main problem nowadays is contactless payment, but if you set a limit and use a RFID-shielding pass holder or wallet, you’re safe.

Credit cards are cash back And perks. I use cards for all purchases and bills

Credit cards have one purpose, to build credit. Use one to auto-pay bills and make sure to pay it every month like clockwork. Otherwise, fuck them and the companies that invented them.

Checks I can understand complaining about - especially when you’re behind someone in a line at a store that writes one since it takes for ever. But bitching about someone using cash? Get over it.

R303: One purpose?

They make life easier. They make life safer (not having to carry wads of cash everywhere.) They allow you to buy goods and services from your home, at any hour, from distant continents if you wish. They make accounting of expenditures easier. They make it possible to fly across oceans and rent cars. They provide cash back and rewards. And yes they build credit. And yes some people fuck up with them.

Don't these people know that OP is in a HURRY?

I can't imagine being interested in how someone else pays their bills.

Big Brother has my iTunes. password and I am CONCERNED.

It’s so much easier with cards, and I get perks from then

This problem is being extinguished by the proliferation of places that segregate card users from cash users, or plain only accept card payments.

Are these cash holdouts protesting places that only accept cards?

Bump

Cash is so 1974

New York City bans cashless businesses

So primitive

Cash folks need separate lines. Many stores already do this

Covid makes cashless superior

Didn't read the posts, sorry. Mafia people and immigrant cab drivers always pay in cash. They unfold huge wads of bills -- it's a point of pride.